Mail box



H. H. COOK Feb. 17, 1931.

MAIL BOX Filed Oct. 28, 1929 INVENTQR ATTORNEY Patented F eb. 17, 1931UNETEO STATES PATENT oFFicE MAIL BOX Application filed. October 28,1929. Serial No. 402,970.

This invention relates to mail boxes of the rural delivery type andwhich embodies among other characteristics means whereby the box may beopened and closed through contact with an appropriate portion of thecarriers vehicle.

Another object of the invention embodies an operating lever for thispurpose.

An additional object of the invention consists of a door operating meanshaving connection with the lever.

More specifically stated the operating lever has a portion of its lengthdisposed in juxtaposition to a contact member included upon the carriersvehicle.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further consistsof the following novel features and-details of construc tion, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as appliedupon a form of mail box.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the invention as applied andillustrating by full and dotted lines the relative positions of the doorand operating means for the box.

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the box showing the operating meansand door actuating means in active and inactive positions.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4. 4t of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of referencedenote corresponding parts the reference character 10 indicates aconventional form of mail box supported upon a standard or post 11. Theforward or entrance end of the box is inclined in the manner shown inFigure 2 of the drawing to accommodate a door or closure 12. The latteris provided with a flange portion 13 rearwardly projecting from theupper curved portion and parallel sides thereof for overlappingsuperimposed relation with the adjacent portions of the mail box. Thelower edge of the door or closure is not flanged wherby the door whenswung from the dotted to the full line positions 59 shown in Figure 2 ofthe drawing will ef-.

fectively close the entrance end of the mail box.

A hanger or fulcrum bar 14 of elongated U-shape formation iseccentrically pivoted or mounted, as at 15, upon opposite sides of themail box adjacent the rearmost end thereof whereby the closure or door12 will have a normal tendency to remain in closed position. The fulcrumbar is furthermore provided with pivot pins 16 eccentrically connectedwith diametrically opposed portions of the flange 13 for the closure ordoor 12 adjacent the lowermost edge of the latter to permit rockingmovement of the door and to overcome any possibility of jamming orbinding. Excessive swinging motion of the door upon the fulcrum bar,incident to its eccentric pivotal connections therewith, is restrictedby the inwardly offset portions 17 upon the outermost projecting ends ofthe fulcrum bar and which engage the outer surface of the door orclosure 12. The operating bar as mentioned in the foregoing and asindicated at 18 is disposed for the major portion of its length beneaththe corrugated bottom of the mail box and rockingly mounted Within theeyes or loops of screw eyes or other forms of bearing members 19. Stopcollars 20, carried at intervals upon the operating lever areengageable'with the outer sides of the respectlve bearlng members toprevent undue longitudinal shifting motion of the operating levertheretnrough. The innermost end of the operating lever is oifset toprovide a' horizontal portion 21 having 0 connection with the yokeportion of the U- shaped fulcrum bar 14 through the instrumentality of achain connection 22. A vertical leg 23 offset and depending from theforward end of the operating lever 18 is disposed in the path ofmovement of a pin or projection 24 to be arranged upon the running boardor other appropriate portion of the mail carriers mode oftransportation.

The vehicle is run near the mail box to effect engagement'of the pin orprojection 24 with the vertical leg 23 of the operating lever 18 toimpart rotation to the latter and to dispose the hori zonal portion 21at a downward inclination whereby the chain connection 22 followingtherewith will cause the fulcrum bar 14 to occupy the dotted line Figure2 position and hold the closure or door 12 in such position until thecarrier moves on toward the next mail box. It is not necessary that thecarrier retract his vehicle to release the pin or projection 24 from thevertical leg 23 of the operating lever 18 to release the door or closure12 in view of the fact that the horizontal portion 21 of the operatinglever 18 does occupy a true vertical position when the door or closure12 is in a fully open position. For this reason, the vehicle cancontinue on and the door or closure 12 will be elevated still higher asthe pin or projection 2% slides against and elevates the vertical leg 23at a correspondingly radical inclination.

T he invention is susceptible of various changes in its form,proportions and minor details of construction, and the right is hereinreserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of theappended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A mail box andoperating means therefor comprising a fulcrum bar of U-shape formationhaving eccentric pivotal connection with the box, a closure lidobliquely inclined upon the entrance end of the box and having pivotalconnection with the adjacent portions of the fulcrum bar, a flangecarried by and inwardly directed from the lid designed for overlappingengagement with the box, an operating lever journaled beneath the boxhaving an end horizontally offset from one end in parallelism to theyoke portion of the fulcrum bar, a chain connection between the yokeportion of the fulcrum bar and of the horizontally disposed endoperating lever, and a leg depending from the opposite end of theoperating lever.

2. A mail box and operating means therefor comprising a fulcrum bar ofU-shape formation partially surrounding the box and pivotally mountedeccentrically therewith, a closure lid obliquely disposed upon theentrance end of the box having pivotal eccentric connection with theadjacent portions of the bar, the ends of said bar being inwardly offsetover the front of the closure lid to restrict inward swinging movementthereof from the adjacent pivotal connections therewith, an operatinglever journaled beneath the mail box terminating at one end in ahorizontal offset portion disposed in parallelism with the yoke portionof the fulcrum bar, a chain connection established between the yokeportion of the bar and horizontally offset extremity of the operatinglever, and a leg vertically disposed upon the forward end of theoperating lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERMAN H. COOK.

